Merlin Taboo Challenge thing
by EosAella
Summary: A challenge to those people that want to really show off an extensive range of vocabulary, or to someone that just wants to try something a little different. Also includes my attempt at my own challenge, I know so don't be put off if you don't write!


**MERLIN REVEAL CHALLENGE! **_**DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN!**_

That title was so important that I used caps lock, bold, underline _and _italics all on one line!

Now, on with the challenge...

I'm calling it the taboo words challenge, because - you've guessed it - certain words aren't allowed.

Alright guys, here's the brief.

I am asking for a one-shot reveal (word count of your choice) but there's a catch! You are not allowed to use certain words. These are:

Magic (duh, that would just be too easy)

Sorcerer

Warlock

King

Prince

Pendragon

Emrys

Once and Future

Sorcery

Gold/golden

Destiny

Albion

Trust

Betrayal

Treason

Bandits

Scared yet? I'm not done. It's NOT allowed to contain any mentions of the sword analogy _"But Arthur, Magic is like a sword!"_ or the coin analogy, _"You are two halves of the same coing young warlock". _You can't use Morgana, you can use the dragon/s if you so wish but good luck trying to keep them in character without using the above words. And, please... no slash.

Genre: Whatever the hell you want.

Oh and just to clarify, it's Arthur that's finding out about the magic so don't try and get clever by letting it be some knight or something.

On second thoughts let's make it a bit of a competition... Post a link to your story in a review (this way others can also read the responses) and I'll promise to read all of them. If you don't want to post it in a review (and why the hell not?) then you can always PM me.

You have until the 30th of April and I'll announce the winner on 7th of May a week later (that's GMT time).

Don't worry though, I'm having a go too. Just look below if you want to see my attempt at this :)

Good luck!

* * *

"_Mer_lin would you shut up?" Arthur sighed as his servant crashed through the forest trying to catch up with him.

"Oh I'm so sorry, here let me suddenly become a mule that can carry the seventy two weapons that you seem to need for every little hunting trip."

"Well that would be useful... And I do not have seventy two!"

"I counted each arrow."

"Oh... shush."

Arthur carried on walking and this time it was Merlin's turn to sigh as he followed his master.

"I don't even see why you need that many, I mean it's not as though you miss and you won't shoot seventy arrows."

"Was that a compliment Merlin?"

"Nope, just a complaint. Is Arthur getting confused again?"

"Merlin, shut. Up." He hissed. He snatched his crossbow and a few arrows (three down, 67 to go) before stalking off all stealth like after a doe that he'd spotted.

Merlin sighed - again - and trailed after him - again. After about ten minutes of following the doe (it kept running away just as Arthur was getting ready to shoot) Merlin was complaining - again.

"Arthur you're obviously not going to get it can't we just turn around. It's your fault that we didn't bring horses and if we follow it for too long then we won't get back to Camelot before sunset."

"What are you talking about Merlin of course I'm going to get it." He aimed and was about to shoot before the doe ran off again.

"Why does that do little to reassure me?" But Arthur didn't here him because he had already picked up the chase again.

Merlin did the whole 'sigh and follow' thing again.

After half an hour it was just getting ridiculous. "Arthur see sense, there's obviously some reason why this deer is impossible to catch!"

"Challenge accepted." Arthur stalked off through the bushes.

"I hate my life." Merlin deadpanned before following.

He was right - of course - there was some reason why the doe couldn't be caught, he just couldn't quite put his finger on it.

He was so caught up in trying to figure out what it was that he almost missed Arthur's sign to stop. Well, he did miss it and ended up walking right into him.

"Merlin don't you ever look where you're going? Now stop and be quiet." He signalled to the doe that had stopped again in the middle of a clearing. He setup the shot and prepared to fire.

"Arthur I don't think-"

The arrow hit the doe whih promptly burst into lots of bits and that showed them with pink glitter.

"What the fu-"

"Arthur!"

"What?"

"Look." Merlin pointed into the clearing where a small girl was standing. It was hard to tell how old she was but she looked like she would come up to about Arthur's shoulder. She had long blond hair that looked a bit unkempt as all childrens hair does, she was wearing a pink dress that was ever so slightly too big. The overall effect was extremely cute.

The girl started to giggle happily. "You shot my doe, hehehe, now you're sparkly." She had a tinkling laugh which was reflected in her voice.

"I... err... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, I didn't know it was yours." Arthur said, he was a bit confused.

"Of course you meant to, that's why you pulled the trigger. But it doesn't matter. You were supposed to shoot her. That's why I made her."

"What?" Merlin was equally confused though he had a sneaking suspiscion of what was going on.

"I made her. She brought you to me."

"I knew we shouldn't of followed it." Merlin muttered.

"Why did you need me? Are you alright?" Arthur asked.

"I don't just need you silly, I need your friend as well."

"Ok fine, why do you need _us_?"

"Revenge." She hissed, her eyes turned red and her hair flew up as an unwordly wind whipped around her.

"Ok... Small child with too much power for her own good wanting revenge. That's a new one." Merlin began backing away. But then he remembered that 1) however powerful she was he was probably more so. 2) Arthur was arrogant enough to not back away thinking he would be able to beat her single handedly. 3) Arthur was too compassionate to hurt a child. 4) The dragon would kill him if Arthur died. Literally kill him.

And Gwen would probably shoot him in the face.

So he'd better hang around.

"Woah woah woah!" He said stepping forward, "Before you take your revenge in what I imagine will be a terribly brutal and violent fashion can we at least know what it is that you're taking revenge for?"

"I suppose." The wind died down and her eyes returned to their original colour. "You," she nodded to Arthur, "Killed my sister. And you," she nodded to Merlin, "Did nothing to stop him."

"...Who?" Arthur asked, he couldn't remember killing any strange, almighty and downright scary girls recently (or ever for that matter).

"Her name was Freya."

The name didn't mean anything to Arthur but by the sharp intake of breath he presumed that Merlin knew her.

"She never said she had a sister..." Merlin muttered.

"Did you know her Merlin?" Arthur asked.

"Do you remember the druid girl? She was cursed to turn into a beast every night." He explained.

"Oh I remember! The cat lady?"

"She was called Freya!" Both Merlin and the scary girl told said.

"Alrigh, alright, Freya then... How do you even know her Merlin?"

"Erm... Well..."

"Tell me you didn't... Merlin _please _tell me that it wasn't you that released her from that cage..."

"Erm... It wasn't me that released her from that cage?"

"You put her in a cage?" The girl shouted the wind picking up again.

"Yeah but it's alright, I got her out."

"You what?" Arthur said.

"Err.. yeah..."

"But you still let her die." The girl growled.

"There wasn't anything I could do. I tried to help her, I really did."

"Merlin I could have you executed for what you're saying." They both ignored Arthur.

"I could take you to the lake if you want. To her lake, show you where she is."

"I don't care where she is I only care that she isn't here!" The girl's rage (an obscene amount for one so tiny) was finally let lose as she sent a blast of power towards them both. The managed to just get out the way in time though.

Instinctively Merlin threw out a hand and the girl flew back into a tree.

"Merlin! But... You... And..." Arthur attempted to form a coherent sentence but faile miserably.

"Yes Arthur I know but right now we have more important things to worry about."

"...What?"

"She's waking up."

"I don't care! You have ma-"

"-Arthur just shut up and run!" A fireball hit the tree next to Arthur's head.

"Right you are."

And together they ran.

* * *

There we go, that was my attempt :) I hope it helped if you're finding it difficult... If you don't want to write but still enjoyed the story then feel free to drop me a review anyway!

P.S Do you know how much of a fail this will look if no one even attempts it? Please don't make me look like a complete and utter loner...


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